Computerized utility cost estimation method and system

Abstract

The invention provides a method, system, and computer program device for cost estimation relating to utility usage and utility billing. Utility information concerning usage of utilities is collected, and a report is provided of actual and/or estimated usage and/or cost of utility resources. Information is stored relating to customers, one or more utilities relating to the customer, as well as a variety of rules that may be applied by the utilities for the customers, depending on various situations, in determining the utility information and the costs thereof. Measurement related information and/or estimate related information is collected, representative of the utility usage and the estimated usage by the customer(s). A user may selected one or more preferences representative of a variable, which are utilized in generating the utility information for the user. The report is based on utility information relating to the customer, the preference for the variable(s), and the measurement related or estimate related information for the customer. A report is displayed, representative of the utility information utilizing the preference for the variable(s).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of managing utility information responsive to at least one of usage and estimated usage of utility resources, comprising the steps of: 
 (A) Storing information regarding at least one user, at least one utility relating to the at least one user, and a plurality of rules that may be applied by the at least one utility for the at least one user in determining the utility information;    (B) Collecting measurement related or estimate related information representative of the at least one of the utility usage and the estimated usage by the at least one user;    (C) Selecting at least one preference representative of a variable utilized in generating the utility information for the at least one user;    (D) Generating the utility information for the at least one user responsive to the at least one preference, the utility information relating to the at least one user, the at least one preference, and the measurement related or estimate related information for the at least one user; and    (E) Displaying a report representative of the utility information utilizing the at least one preference.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the measurement related or estimate related information is acquired remotely from at least one of: a utility meter, a database of meter information, a periodic reading of a utility meter, and a demand reading of a utility meter.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the utility resource is power characterized by power component information, and wherein the power component information includes real power, apparent power, and reactive power; and wherein the measurement related or estimate related information comprises at least two of the real power, the apparent power and the reactive power; and wherein said generating step (D) generates the utility information including calculated billing information comprising one another of the at least two of the real power, the apparent and the reactive power.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the utility resource is power, and the variables include at least one of time period, site, tariff, state tax, city tax, billing cycle, energy usage, location, and curtailment.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user comprises at least one of an energy provider and a customer with multiple facilities.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the report includes actual usage, forecast usage and/or cost estimates, responsive to data input by the user; and wherein the preference reflects at least one of: location, demand, time shift, curtailment participation, extrapolation of current usage, adjustment of current usage, billing period and tariff.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of, responsive to the at least one preference, providing an estimated forecast of a utility billing statement for the user.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the report comprises a plurality of sites, and the report includes a summary corresponding to the plurality of sites.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the report includes at least one line item selected from: delivery charge, service charge, transmission charge, customer charge, distribution charge, computer transmission charge, environmental fund rate, low income fund rate, and power factor adjustment.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the report has a format resembling a printed billing statement.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of components selected from: estimating cost, reporting exceptions, forecasting cost, benchmarking, providing market prices, and analyzing report information; wherein said at least one component utilizes at least one of: the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining, responsive to a user request, an effect on cost of participation in a curtailment program.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of, if the user selected participation in the curtailment program, verifying that the user curtailed.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information is stored in at least one table.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information stored in the at least one table includes at least one of: peak periods, holidays, bill rates, tariff information, factor information for line items, and billing factor criteria.  
     
     
         16 . A computer program device for use in managing utility information responsive to at least one of usage and estimated usage of utility resources, comprising: 
 (A) At least one computer readable medium;    (B) Instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for storing information regarding at least one user, at least one utility relating to the at least one user, and a plurality of rules that may be applied by the at least one utility for the at least one user in determining the utility information;    (C) Instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for collecting measurement related or estimate related information representative of the at least one of the utility usage and the estimated usage by the at least one user;    (D) Instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for selecting at least one preference representative of a variable utilized in generating the utility information for the at least one user;    (E) Instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for generating the utility information for the at least one user responsive to the at least one preference, the utility information relating to the at least one user, the at least one preference, and the measurement related or estimate related information for the at least one user; and    (F) Instructions, provided on the at least one computer readable medium, for displaying a report representative of the utility information utilizing the at least one preference.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the measurement related or estimate related information is acquired remotely from at least one of: a utility meter, a database of meter information, a periodic reading of a utility meter, and a demand reading of a utility meter.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the utility resource is power characterized by power component information, and wherein the power component information includes real power, apparent power, and reactive power; and wherein the measurement related or estimate related information comprises at least two of the real power, the apparent power and the reactive power; and wherein said generating instructions (E) generate the utility information including calculated billing information comprising one another of the at least two of the real power, the apparent and the reactive power.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the utility resource is power, and the variables include at least one of time period, site, tariff, state tax, city tax, billing cycle, energy usage, location, and curtailment.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the user comprises at least one of an energy provider and a customer with multiple facilities.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the report includes actual usage, forecast usage and/or cost estimates, responsive to data input by the user; and wherein the preference reflects at least one of: location, demand, time shift, curtailment participation, extrapolation of current usage, adjustment of current usage, billing period and tariff.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for, responsive to the at least one preference, providing an estimated forecast of a utility billing statement for the user.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the report comprises a plurality of sites, and the report includes a summary corresponding to the plurality of sites.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the report includes at least one line item selected from: delivery charge, service charge, transmission charge, customer charge, distribution charge, computer transmission charge, environmental fund rate, low income fund rate, and power factor adjustment.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the report has a format resembling a printed billing statement.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of components selected from: estimating cost, reporting exceptions, forecasting cost, benchmarking, providing market prices, and analyzing report information; wherein said at least one component utilizes at least one of: the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for determining, responsive to a user request, an effect on cost of participation in a curtailment program.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , further comprising instructions for, if the user selected participation in the curtailment program, verifying that the user curtailed.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information is stored in at least one table.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the information stored in the at least one table includes at least one of: peak periods, holidays, bill rates, tariff information, factor information for line items, and billing factor criteria.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one computer, reading the at least one computer readable medium, and displaying the report.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein there are provided a plurality of computers, at least one of said computers transferring, to at least one other of said computers, data representative of at least one of the utility information, the measurement related information and the estimate related information via standard communication protocols.  
     
     
         33 . A computer-based system for managing utility information responsive to at least one of usage and estimated usage of utility resources, comprising: 
 (A) Stored information regarding at least one user, at least one utility relating to the at least one user, and a plurality of rules that may be applied by the at least one utility for the at least one user in determining the utility information;    (B) Stored measurement related or estimate related information representative of the at least one of the utility usage and the estimated usage by the at least one user;    (C) Means for selecting at least one preference representative of a variable utilized in generating the utility information for the at least one user;    (D) Means for generating the utility information for the at least one user responsive to the at least one preference, the utility information relating to the at least one user, the at least one preference, and the measurement related or estimate related information for the at least one user; and    (E) Display means for displaying a report representative of the utility information utilizing the at least one preference.    
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the measurement related or estimate related information is acquired remotely from at least one of: a utility meter, a database of meter information, a periodic reading of a utility meter, and a demand reading of a utility meter.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the utility resource is power characterized by power component information, and wherein the power component information includes real power, apparent power, and reactive power; and wherein the measurement related or estimate related information comprises at least two of the real power, the apparent power and the reactive power; and wherein said means for generating (D) generates the utility information including calculated billing information comprising one another of the at least two of the real power, the apparent and the reactive power.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the utility resource is power, and the variables include at least one of time period, site, tariff, state tax, city tax, billing cycle, energy usage, location, and curtailment.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the user comprises at least one of an energy provider and a customer with multiple facilities.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the report includes actual usage, forecast usage and/or cost estimates, responsive to data input by the user; and wherein the preference reflects at least one of: location, demand, time shift, curtailment participation, extrapolation of current usage, adjustment of current usage, billing period and tariff.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising an estimated forecast of a utility billing statement, provided to the user responsive to the at least one preference.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the report comprises a plurality of sites, and the report includes a summary corresponding to the plurality of sites.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the report includes at least one line item selected from: delivery charge, service charge, transmission charge, customer charge, distribution charge, computer transmission charge, environmental fund rate, low income fund rate, and power factor adjustment.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the report has a format resembling a printed billing statement.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising at least one of components selected from: estimating cost, reporting exceptions, forecasting cost, benchmarking, providing market prices, and analyzing report information; wherein said at least one component utilizes at least one of: the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising information determined, responsive to a user request, reflecting an effect on cost of participation in a curtailment program.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising a verification, if the user selected participation in the curtailment program, that the user curtailed.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the measurement related information, the estimate related information, and the user information is stored in at least one table.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the information stored in the at least one table includes at least one of: peak periods, holidays, bill rates, tariff information, factor information for line items, and billing factor criteria.